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Life in the early West was not as primitive as some may think. Although beaver tail, raw buffalo liver and dog stew were often served for dinner, the bourgeois, or boss, of each fort would have dined on English porcelain. Most forts had wine cellars that were full of French and Spanish wines typically sold by the hogshead, or 63 gallon barrels. The wine would then be decanted from these barrels and poured into hand-blown glass bottles before being sold … Read the entire post >

Colorado’s Front Range is located in “Hail Alley,” meaning it receives the highest frequency of hail in North America. In the 1830s, visitors at Bent’s Old Fort would make the most of storms by catching the hail in a mason jar and mixing the cocktail that eventually became known as the Hailstorm Premiere Julep.

Since the day Samuel and Bay Arnold opened The Fort in 1963, the Hailstorm Julep has been a staple on our cocktail menu. It was originally … Read the entire post >

Founded in 1830, Mormonism has been a powerful force in bringing many people to the West. The ten companies of saints – as Mormons were commonly called in the old West – traveled the handcart route between 1856 and 1860. With them, they brought a variety of different recipes and cooking techniques. In later years, Mormon cooking recognized its culinary heritage as coming from New England, the British Isles, Scandinavia and Switzerland. Old Mormon recipes were adapted for the foods … Read the entire post >

If you’ve taken time to stroll the grounds of The Fort, you’ve likely noticed the beautiful woodwork furniture that complements our adobe building. These custom-built pieces were made by Antonio Archuleta of Taos, New Mexico.

A dear friend of The Fort, Antonio created our Spanish-colonial style furniture from our opening in 1963 to his unexpected passing in 2011. He was mentored by Elidio Gonzales in the 1950s, when Gonzales spent time teaching him the craft.

Proprietress of The Fort, Holly Kinney, keeps her mother’s recipe for brandied pumpkin pie close to her heart. Since first making it in 1960, Bay Arnold claimed this was the best pumpkin pie she had ever eaten, and went on to make it every year for Thanksgiving.

Treat your guests this holiday season to The Fort’s twist on a traditional American classic.

It’s one of our favorite seasons at The Fort, and the return of our prime rib weekends is a sign of just that. Enjoy one of our most popular dinners with a Fort salad, seasonal vegetables, mashed potatoes and a Buffalo Prime Rib entrée (horseradish available upon request!). Prices start at $39 per person, and this special is available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Sept. 20 is National Rum Punch Day, and we’re celebrating with one of Sam’l Arnold’s favorite drinks, our 1732 Philadelphia Fish House Punch!

Philadelphia Fish House Punch is thought to be one of the oldest punch recipes served in America. Scholars believe the recipe originated in the 1600s, in London, as a farmers’ club punch, and was later served in America at the Fish House Tavern in Schuylkill, Pa.